7/22/2015

Love Dusek's! I had the baby duch and it was so delicious! My son had just bacon and I tried a small peace and I wanted to eat it all. Bacon was crunchy and of smoky flavor.
Great service, they go the extra mile to make you happy!
Definitely recommend it!

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• 

  Duch baby

  Duch baby

8/12/2015

We dined at Dusek's prior to a recent weekend show at Thalia Hall. Loved the food and the terrific selection of ales on draft, hated the noise and the "no reservations on weekends" policy (c'mon--I'm buying tickets for a GA show at the venue, you won't take a reservation and I have to wait a half-hour which means I don't get as good a seat as I had hoped?). Server was trying to be helpful and cordial, but I could not hear her small voice over the din.

For starters, a decomposed compressed melon salad was a delight: lovely plating, nice flavors. Ditto my companion's roasted romanesco plate. My sausage sandwich was good (though it's a joke to serve the huge sausage on a bun), and the accompanying fires were very good, though not superb. An "ice cream sandwich dessert" was nicely presented, but the ice cream was too hard and the flavors not as prominent as I'd have liked.

Overall, nice menu, very good cooking, too much noise. Definitely room for improvement...

8/7/2015

This place was SO GOOD!! It's probably a 4.5 star to be honest.

Venue - super cool space. PLUS lots of cocktail options with Punchbowl downstairs, the piano bar next door, and obviously Thalia Hall if you want to catch a show

Service - our server was fabulous, attentive and very helpful

FOOD - SO GOOD! Really thoughtful flavors without being too simple or too overwhelming (which can often happen at gastropub-y type places). All of the sauces and accoutrements on the dishes were VERY well done. Here's a rundown of what we tried in our group of 6. We ordered lots of plates to share as a group!

SCALLOPS - I love scallops so I eat a lot of them. These were very unique. Very smoky flavor IN the scallop and well cooked.

MUSSELS - Server heavily reco'd and she was right, you don't get mussels like this anywhere else. Roasted flavor was awesome. Mussels perfectly cooked. Very delicious

COMPRESSED MELON - Delicious salad, but it was hard to split 6 ways. I wanted more :)

SWEETBREADS - The sauces and accoutrements were good. Again, this was hard to split 6 ways. I wanted more. We only got ONE sweetbread

FOIE - I've never had foie like this! It was exceptionally smooth and buttery and served with more sweet/savory sides vs just savory/pickled/acidic sides. The toast was thicker and also sweet. It was very good and interesting

CRAB DIP - We coined this "flavor town" at our table. Need I saw more? TONS of crab - delish!

HANGER STEAK - Ok, one would think, hanger steak is good but how good can it really be onc eplace to another. This is a shining example. It was slicked thicker which I loved to really get into the texture of this perfectly cooked piece of meat! Again with the sauces, and whatever the picked veg was on the side balanced by the pea puree. Holy balls. I wanted MORE!

TUNA - This was tasty, tuna perfectly cooked. Not as standout as the hanger steak but good.

CHICKEN - Who orders chicken breast at a restaurant?! Well, we did and it was delicious. Again, really loved the sauces, the breast wasn't dry. YUM.

THEN, we get to DESSERT. We tried 3 desserts. We liked them, but I do have to say they were not as stand-out as the apps/entrees which is why this is a 4 vs 5-star. None of these desserts were BAD but they were unique and not as outstanding as the savory dishes

Churro - was ok. Churro was soggy before we could eat it
Ice cream sandwich - my fav dessert
Cookie Dough - again, good but ok. Ice cream yum, cookie dough was a little strange in texture.

Lastly, they had an awesome beef list. Our server was more than happy to let us taste some before committing which was nice.

I can't wait to come back here perhaps with a smaller group so I can eat more of everything =D

8/1/2015

This place is the best kind of pleasant surprise you can stumble upon! Friends and I showed up here for dinner after reading all the positive reviews and we weren't disappointed! Sure, the portions may be on the smaller side and the prices aren't exactly steep but they're reaching, but it was definitely well-worth it for a fun night out with buddies. Honestly, this place probably makes a better date spot (for the second or third date, I'd say).

You can sample the long list of beer for the one that's a keeper, there's an oyster happy hour early in the evenings on Mondays for $1 each (I recommend the Virginia one!), and such a variety of eats. A friend got the mussels (I ALSO RECOMMEND) and I ordered the quail over cornbread and it was absolutely divine.

You're in for a fun surprise when you head downstairs to the bathroom! You can write messages to friends or strangers, and they'll definitely respond back when you return to wash your hands after grubbing. I have to say the entire decor is impressive. Attentive and helfpul staff as well. Keep it up, Dusek's! There's an option to dine upstairs and wine downstairs as well!

7/19/2015

The brunch here is easily five stars! They take reservations, but they save half of their tables for walk-ins and two of us got seated right away at 10:30 am on Sunday morning.

We started off with the Beignets, which literally melted in your mouth and were served with a tangy berry compote. Definitely a great sweet way to start (but in no way compares to Nightwood's Bacon Butterscotch Donuts.... sorry!)

I ordered the Elotes Benedict, which is incredible! The chipotle hollandaise with the pork belly and the poached eggs was so perfectly crafted. The flavors were all there and the portion size was large. It came with these breakfast potatoes that had a sweet/spicy component! They were really unique and unlike any other breakfast hash/potatoes that I've ever had.

My boyfriend got the Duck Confit Sandwich, which is newer to their menu. It was also a great brunch option since it had a fried egg on top. This was served with a side of fries, which were too salty for my liking, but he really enjoyed them. I thought the Benedict was better, but you really couldn't go wrong either way!

Drinks - there are so many great "beermosa" options. The classic and Pomegranate were both good, but I would steer clear of the Honey-Grapefruit Beermosa. Their Board and Beer Bloody was also delicious and I'm not even a fan of Bloody Mary's!

I will definitely be coming back and bringing others for another memorable weekend brunch!

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  Duck Confit Sandwich

  Duck Confit Sandwich

7/6/2015

Title: Pleasantly surprised in Pilsen.

The boy brought me here on an impromptu date night. This restaurant seems out of place for being in a neighborhood known for great Mexican food. It's such a different vibe once you walk in. Dusek's features sort of rustic new American food with shared plates and good seafood options. I would have expected a place like this to be situated in Old Town or Lincoln Park.

They have a great beer selection with unique flavors as well as other cocktails. Our waiter was knowledgeable and offered suggestions for beer and food. He let us try a sample of beer before deciding too. We tried this beer with curry, coco, and coffee notes. Talk about complex! (we didn't go with that beer :P)

In order of preference, we enjoyed the mussels, scallops, and the quail. I felt the plates were all ideally shareable by 2-3 people at max.

Overall service and food was great throughout the meal. Looking forward to returning.

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  Top: scallops and roasted mussels(must get!) Bottom: amuse bouche and quail with cute scotch quail eggs

  Top: scallops and roasted mussels(must get!) Bottom: amuse bouche and quail with cute scotch quail eggs

7/8/2015

My review is strictly for the brunch. I went to Sunday brunch at Dusek's around noon, it surprisingly wasn't too busy which was nice and we opted in for out door dining. I ordered a cappuccino ( this alone gets 5 stars it was awesome), mimosa ( super bland) and the Dutch baby (really good!! But slightly too sweet for my taste buds) my roommate ordered coffee, pomegranate beermosa (yumm) and the rarebit Benedict ( we did not like it at all)- the ham was super dry and neither one of us preferred the sauce.

***** side note I've been here for dinner and I hands down give it 4.5 stars. I will not be back for brunch but I'll for sure come to dinner in a heartbeat

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  Amazing cappuccino, basic mimosa

  Amazing cappuccino, basic mimosa
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  rarebit Benedict

  rarebit Benedict
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  Extra well done bacon- perfect!

  Extra well done bacon- perfect!
• See all photos from Andrea B. for Dusek's

7/3/2015

Dusek's is so great!

I go here for brunch whenever I can, but judging by how good it is, I want to try a lot more.  Thus far, I've gotten:

- BBQ shrimp and grits: SO good.  The barbecue flavor is amazing and complex, the shrimp and grits are perfectly cooked.  My only complaint is that the dish is pretty small -- I need more shrimp to be filled!

- Rarebit Benedict: Quite yummy.  Flavorful meat, good hollandaise, and a creative approach to the Benedict :).

- Soft shell crab sandwich: I've gotten this twice and the first time I was super satisfied -- it was well-cooked, big, the sauce was amazing, and the fries were perfect.  The second time, the crab I got was tiny and over-fried -- I kept biting into pieces that weren't crab at all, just batter.  Won't get this again because apparently it's a coin toss and I don't like paying $15 for a tiny crab.  However, the first one was out of this world delicious.  

- Oysters: so fresh, so tasty, so delicious.  The waiters are well-informed so when you ask about the differences between the types of oysters, they explain it well.  I love the sauce/ bread bits they come with.  It's nice to have good, fresh seafood in Chicago!

- the beer selection is wonderful.  I've tried the classic beermosa, the michelada, the brunch punch, the Bloody Mary, and a variety of their beers.  They were all so wonderful!  I love the drinks here.  Even if the food was terrible (and it is not terrible at all), I'd come back for the beer selection and drink menu creativity.  

All in all, despite a few setbacks, I love love coming here and will continue to do so for amazing brunch and hopefully over meals!!

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  The Bloody Mary at Dusek's comes with a miller high life pony. It's topped with a pickle, cheese, and sausage. It's perfect.

  The Bloody Mary at Dusek's comes with a miller high life pony. It's topped with a pickle, cheese, and sausage. It's perfect.
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  Oysters! One is Miyagi, don't remember what the other is. Beautifully presented and quite tasty.

  Oysters! One is Miyagi, don't remember what the other is. Beautifully presented and quite tasty.

7/28/2015

Food was good albeit very overpriced. We ordered 5 small plates as suggested by the waitress and that barely filled us. After spending about $130 for two people, I was just hoping to get a little more bang for my buck. The food was yummy, don't get me wrong, but I just wanted more food.. that's all. Ya know, so we don't have to pass by McDonalds on the way home lol If we do decide to go again, I will try some of the regular sized plates. I also want to try their highly reviewed brunch.

Some highlights:
Mussels were delicious, plump, and a good size. The best serving size of the night
Service was very attentive, friendly, and welcoming
The drink selection at Dusek's is awesome. Beers galore and their punches are some of the best I've had in the city.

8/8/2015

Very cool spot south of downtown. Great cocktail(had this Bourbon type grapefruit radler) and 25 beers on tap. Food was also solid. Mussels and stuff pretzel were good. Hanger steak was nice and juicy and came with the cheddar type churros. Also enjoyed the beet and carrot app and fried sweetbreads(though small). People at my table enjoyed the juicy Lucy.

7/14/2015

1 word: MUSSELS.

Oh man, those mussels.  During my first visit to Dusek's, my group only ordered 1 order of mussels to share between 7 people. I made DAMN sure the 2nd time I went with a different group of 5 others that we ordered 3.  The consensus among all 12 of us was that the mussels was the best thing at Dusek's.

Now onto other dishes:
Bay scallops - delicious, fresh, seasoned well
Ham sampler - not the best charcuterie board I've had, but it's still pretty good.
Blue crab dip - enjoyable, but nothing special
Oysters - these came with house-made hot sauce which were great with the oysters
Hanger steak - tender and delicious.

Atmosphere: the downstairs area is dark and personal, while the upstairs is bright (if you go during the day!) and open.

7/7/2015

Dusek's is a hip restaurant with a similar vibe to Longman & Eagle, so it's no surprise that they have the same owners! We trekked over to Pilsen from the suburbs because Dusek's was on our "to-try" brunch list based on the lovely recommendations of Yelp reviewers. We didn't have a reservation (in fact, I'm not sure they even take reservations), but we had no problem getting a table as soon as we arrived at 11 AM on the Sunday after 4th of July. (Actually, the wait for a table outdoors was five minutes, so we opted for dining indoors because we were pretty hungry.) The decor is a bit rustic and creative, including carpet in picture frames and chandeliers hanging from the wall. This type of aesthetic juxtaposition lends itself to the aforementioned "hip" descriptor. The bathroom, which is shared with Punch House downstairs, continues with the hip theme by having walls that are a blackboard materials with chalk everywhere so people can write whatever they want. Pretty inventive!

We shared the lemon buttermilk doughnut with blackberry glaze ($4) off the pastry menu and it was gone in less than a minute. The doughnut was fluffy and the glaze, which clearly had been poured atop the doughnut right before coming out to our table, was the perfect combination between tart and sweet. I ordered the challah french toast ($12) with a side of breakfast potatoes ($5) to offset all the sweetness. The french toast came in three squares, which made it unique compared to other french toasts I've enjoyed. It was soaked in a delicious vanilla bean custard and was adorned with bits of rhubarb. This french toast still didn't quite measure up to the one at Longman & Eagle, but it was pretty darn good.
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My only complaints are that service was a bit inattentive. My water glass was empty for a while until a random guy came to top it off. Our waitress barely dropped by to check in on us. It was fine because we didn't need anything else and we were busy enjoying our food, but it would have been nice. Additionally, I have to add that there were very few vegetarian options on the menu. (In fact, I believe the french toast was the ONLY option.) This is very different from other similarly "hip" restaurants that offer a wider selection for people who don't eat meat. All that aside, I did have a really enjoyable meal here and I would be eager to return to try the dinner menu in the future.

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  Challah French toast (foreground) and side of breakfast potatoes (background)

  Challah French toast (foreground) and side of breakfast potatoes (background)
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  You can write on the bathroom stalls and walls with chalk

  You can write on the bathroom stalls and walls with chalk
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  Lemon tart doughnut with berry glaze

  Lemon tart doughnut with berry glaze
• See all photos from Carolyn T. for Dusek's

4/22/2015

My friends and I came to Dusek's at the recommendation of a dear friend and fellow Yelper Eva S. From arrival to departure, our experience was one to remember and come back for.

As a party of three, we decided to order three items and share, dim-sum style. We ordered the juicy Lucy burger, mussels, and blue crab dip. Each of these items were made and presented to impress: from the chunks of crab in the dip, the buttery baguette that accompanied the dip, the bacon tapenade and yellow tomatoes on the burger, and the smoked paprika on the mussels.

The ambience doesn't reflect Pilsen, but perhaps a new Pilsen. One can tell the owners have a vision for the restaurant and one for the community they reside in. The decor of the restaurant made me feel right at home: as if one is hosting a dinner party or sharing a drink with their childhood best friend.

Before we left, my friend made a reservation for brunch. Yes, that's how good it was: planning our return before we even left.

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  Going Blue in Pilsen

  Going Blue in Pilsen
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  Go Dawgs! Going Purple and Being Gold in Pilsen!

  Go Dawgs! Going Purple and Being Gold in Pilsen!
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  General Tso's Sweetbreads-$16

  General Tso's Sweetbreads-$16
• See all photos from Jen B. for Dusek's

5/2/2015

Dusek's.  Heheh.  Okay enough with my immaturity.  I came here to meet up with some friends for dinner on a Thursday night, it wasn't too busy and we were seated immediately.

Our server Diana was awesome.  She explained the menu very thoroughly and provided some suggestions on what was popular.  I decided to splurge a little and go all out on this meal:

To start I got e Boulder Beer Co Shake which was the Cause Beer at the time.  Apparently the beer that has the red CB stamp next to it is the cause beer and they donate a dollar to a local charity for each beer they sell.  I was already interested because it was supposed to taste like a chocolate shake, but all the more better that my drinking can benefit someone else too.

As far as food they started us with an amuse bouche of smoked salmon.  A tasty little bite.  For appetizers we ordered the Iron Roasted P.E.I. mussels.  When they were brought to the table, Diana stopped by to explain the various ways to eat it to get more or less of the spices from the shells.  These were really good, I don't even really like mussels but I couldn't stop popping them.

For the main course my friends went with the Juicy Lucy (a burger - as it's not explicitly stated on the menu) and I got the Moroccan spiced vegetable tagine which has over 23 spices!  It was very flavorful and each bite tasted different, it was somehow spicy, herby, sweet, earthy, and more all at the same time.  

And finally dessert, which was the roasted chili churros.  It definitely had a distinctly smoky flavor, however once the bittersweet chocolate sorbet melted and coated the churros it was a little harder to taste the smokiness, but it was still some great melding of flavors.

Overall the food was very interesting (and pricey) and you can tell there is a lot of thought and care that went into creating and serving each dish.  Diana also was super knowledgeable and wonderful about taking the time to explain and answer our questions even giving us a little background on the place.

Service here was probably some of the very best I've ever received.  We stayed quite a while catching up and enjoying the food and never felt pressured at all.  Food was good and interesting, not your everyday meal.

As far as parking, I parked on 18th St, had such an enjoyable time I completely forgot about the meter and my new car was welcomed it's first time in Chicago with a City of Chicago parking ticket.  I was informed by my friend later there is plenty of free parking on the nearby side streets, just be aware of the zoned areas.

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  Boulder Beer Co Shake

  Boulder Beer Co Shake

8/1/2015

Came here for brunch and absolutely loved the experience. Having been to Longman & Eagle, I had pretty expectations for Dusek's, but at the same time, I didn't really expect to top the L&E experience. The oyster hash, however, proved me wrong--light, rich, and flavorful, everything down to the last detail came together perfectly and seemingly effortlessly. The pork belly was the perfect balance between crispy and tender, the potatoes flavored perfectly with herbs--I could go on and on about the oyster hash. Lovely ambiance, great service, and easily the best brunch I've had in Chicago.

3/27/2015 Updated review

Honest review: the food is really good ignore all the bad reviews if u come get RISOTTO, mussels, sweatbreads those are my favorite dishes here ny favorite thing was the porkbelly it was so fucking good best thing i ever ate they dont have it though
:( anymore :(

Beef fat frites- ok they are supper crispy and soft in the inside not like ur typical fast food fries they didnt taste that good there was no seasoning on them so they were bland the menu says its a hurrisa ketchup but it tasted more like chipotle to me something i would not order again

LAMB BOLOGNESE-ok the gnocchi were amazing the best i ever had they were supper soft and fluffy as a pillow the problem was everything else there was barely any lamb at all then the sauce was sour its an easy fix though for the restaurant

IRON ROASTED PEI MUSSELS- these were the best mussels i ever had. There is alot of them so like the whole table can share. The spices on the actual mussels are great dont be ashamed to actually lick the shells there that good the butter sauce is really good but be careful it gets really messy though it didnt come with bread

PUMPKIN RISOTTO- omg best risotto i ever had. The texture is beautiful not overcooked where its supper gummy and chewy that gets stuck to your teeth not raw or al dente something so soft that it melts in your mouth something a person can never forget. The pumkin in it is the perfect texture there delicious not undercooked

Cookie dough dessert- DO NOT ORDER IF U DONT LIKE COOKIE DOUGH the dough is delicious the ice cream that comes with it is also good the problem is it comes with dark chocolate i hate dark chocolate that for me ruined it

Churro's-  really delicous supper crispy there are only 3 little pieces though does come with dark chocolate still really good though

fudgesicle- obviously the dark chocolate part i hated but the rest of the dish was amaizing idk what they were it came with cookies and other things that were great i would jus order it again jus to eat the other things on the dish

Drink-crossfader really delicious really tart and fresh not enough alcohol though

Ambiance really beutiful perfect for a date night the bar down stairs is really great

Service- there really nice both times this time though she forget things cause she didnt write things down and didnt really know the menu  

Parking sucks theres no parking so thats annoying the neighborhood i wouldnt recommend hanging outside just eat and leave

restaurant if your reading try not to put so many ingredients into everything like some dishes have like a thousand things and sometimes there not good because of all the extra ingredients like the fudgesicle there were these weird green circles that were gross that ruined the dish

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  Cookie dough dessert

  Cookie dough dessert
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  Bill!

  Bill!
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  Pumpkin RISOTTO

  Pumpkin RISOTTO
• See all photos from Michelangelo V. for Dusek's

8/8/2015

So happy to have discovered dusek's! Just going to preface this by saying it was probably the best late brunch I've ever had, so essentially lunch and I was really hungry, but still. They reserve half of their restaurant for people without reservations so our wait was pretty short. I immediately took a liking to this place just based on their decor and historic vibe, but it was the food that really won me over. I really just wanted to order everything off the menu, but ended up going for the duck confit sandwich and couldn't be more pleased. The bun was divine, not too greasy and just the right amount of chew. I'm a huge sucker for fried eggs on sandwiches and burgers so that was obviously a plus. The fennel and arugula gave it a bit of crunch in each bite but I think what really did it for me was the duck, gruyere mornay and beer mustard. The flavors were absolutely spot on and came together so cohesively. I downed it and moved on to the fries, which were equally amazing. I dipped some in the remaining gruyere mornay sauce left on the plate which was so good, and even just the fries plain or with ketchup was amazing. They weren't too salty which is what I saw a few people on here say about them but we're just the slightest bit crispy - just how I like them! The meal really filled me up and I can't wait to come back and try more off their menu. Their service was also reasonably fast and they really boast a strong alcohol assortment. I'm also looking forward to coming back here for their $1 oyster happy hours on Mondays because my friend tried their oysters and definitely put my midwestern seafood concern to rest.

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  Oyster hash

  Oyster hash
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  Duck confit sandwich

  Duck confit sandwich
• See all photos from Michelle W. for Dusek's

7/25/2015

We have been here once before and my French toast was amazing!  So we are back today for my birthday brunch and I'm excited!

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  French toast

  French toast
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  French toast

  French toast
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  Dutch baby Pancake!

  Dutch baby Pancake!
• See all photos from LJ D. for Dusek's

2/22/2015

If you have yet to visit Dusek's, get yourself over to Pilsen now and give them a try. Dinner or brunch, you can't go wrong.

Their Roasted PEI Mussels with smoked pimenton and warm harissa butter some of the best mussels I've ever eaten and I would order their scallops every single time. We had a bad experience with their short ribs, but hopefully they've since corrected that dish.

As for desserts, the Fried Stout and Chocolate Bar are standouts. For brunch, start with one of their Beermosas and try the Dutch Baby with seasonal fruit, Juicy Lucy, Omelet, Eggs Benedict...the list goes on, it's all so good! Definitely worth the extra effort to get here for those that don't live nearby.

4/24/2015

mussels mussels mussels!  Get the mussels!

I have come all the way from California to be the seafood snob and state.. seafood just generally sucks in the Midwest.  If it's good, it's expensive. If it's affordable, it's just not the same!  But DANG - Dusek's mussels are affordable and are, not just good, but GREAT.  They're super meaty and substantial. The seasoning will tickle every salty lovers fancy.  I was bloated from head to toe from all the water retention but mmm, it was worth it.  Just make sure to take your selfies beforehand =P

As for everything else... we also got the steak and eggs.  It was more like a sampling of food and I'm appalled it even tried to disguise itself as a real meal.  Skip, please.  The duck fat fries were good but they're pretty standard as far as fries go. Service was also underpar.  Our server kept forgetting orders (sides and drinks) and even forgot it the second time when we kindly told him we didn't receive the order yet.  I'm not one to hold a restaurant back if they have great food.. but it seems like you really have to choose your selection wisely here.

I'll definitely be back but only because the mussels are so yummy!

4/27/2015

I've been wanting to try Dusek's for their amazing take on the Juicy Lucy burger.  I enticed my Hubby to go for their equally good liquor and beer selection.  To beat the lines we went around 5pm on Friday night, no wait at all.

We started with the Iron Roasted P.E.I. Taylor Mussels - simply delicious with a kick.  Definitely a unique way to serve mussels that were smoky, spicy, and accompanied by a nice warm butter dipping sauce.  We then split the Pork Belly with pea risotto.  The pork was juicy, tender, and cut like butter.  My mouth is watering remembering how yummy it was.  Perfectly paired with the refreshing pea risotto so I could rationalize to myself how semi-healthy the dish was.  We ended with the Juicy Lucy which came with the beef fat fries.  I was a little disappointed since it seemed the meat had cooled down a bit (the cheese in the middle wasn't as gooey), so I think they were waiting for us to finish our other dishes before bringing out the burger.  Despite that, it was a good burger.  The size was just right, not too big or daunting.  The bun was able to withstand the burger thickness and juiciness without getting soggy.  The red onion bacon marmalade was the perfect topping.  The beef fat fries were a little rich for me.  For dessert we tried the Cookie Dough, a deconstructed take on cookie dough with ice cream.  It was okay, maybe it was the textures that bothered me.  Overall, my favorite dishes were the mussels and the pork belly.

Service was attentive and friendly.  It wasn't too busy so the server came around once in a while to check on us without hovering.  Hubby enjoyed his two drinks - I can't believe they have a chocolate milkshake stout (have to try it after the baby is born).  I had to settle on smelling it.  I can finally cross off Dusek's from my Best of Chicago Burger Bucket list!

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  Cookie Dough

  Cookie Dough
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  Juicy Lucy with Beef Fat Fries

  Juicy Lucy with Beef Fat Fries
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  Pork Belly and Pea Risotto

  Pork Belly and Pea Risotto
• See all photos from Erica L. for Dusek's

4/21/2015

More on the higher end of bars/restaurants in the Pilsen neighborhood. Although I have yet to go there for brunch as I heard great things about it, I did go there for drinks and small appetizers at night. Place is dark, has a good vibe and nice ambiance- not a bad place to take a date to. From my understanding there is also a bar area downstairs--can't miss it on your way to the women's bathroom.

Although it was hard to hear due to the surrounding noise level, I do appreciate that the food runners described each plate that came out. I worked at a restaurant before that required me to do that and I understand the amount of studying that is needed to do what he did.

I have to come back for brunch!

8/3/2015

Nice bar area. A good spot to go if you are attending an event at the Thalia Hall. I ordered one of their cocktails, I think it's called the honey cup (?). It was good and refreshing. Perfect for summer. Only 4 stars because there's really nothing else to do  around the area. And I feel like the area is a little "shady". But will try to return in the future to  check out their food menu.

1/15/2015

I came here for a double date brunch a couple weekends ago since I had a $10 voucher from the Chicago a la Card promotion, and enjoyed the meal. I ordered the ham and 3 egg benedict, and although it was good, it was not actually a ham and egg benedict by any means. The menu advertises hollandaise, but whether it actually doesn't come with it or they simply forgot to put any on my plate, what I had was 3 eggs on toast. Also, while technically prosciutto is an Italian ham, just say it comes topped with prosciutto so it's clear that people are not getting what we typically ACTUALLY refer to as ham in America. Be as fancy as you want, but be accurate and honest.  Other than that, my fiance got the Challah French Toast, which I wish I had ordered instead - very fluffy, not too much syrup, and the mint leaves added a great taste.

Our friends ordered the lobster pot pie, which had a huge hunk of claw meat right on top the second you dug into it, looked yummy, and some sort of spicy chocolate donut. Overall, while I was a little disappointed by the fake eggs benedict, I'd definitely go back to try their dinner menu.

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  Beignets

  Beignets
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  Challah french toast

  Challah french toast
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  Oyster hash

  Oyster hash

6/1/2015

Pros:

The food and drinks were excellent. The oysters were outstanding!

Cons:

The service could have been better. Only saw our server for our order and check.

Final Verdict:
Recommend. Perhaps, it was long day for our server. But we will definitely be making our trip back here soon.

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  Soft shell crab sandwich.

  Soft shell crab sandwich.
• 

  Beermosha - Ginger Pineapple. Delicious.

  Beermosha - Ginger Pineapple. Delicious.

3/26/2015

The food is amazing.  The deserts are so delicious.  The ambiance nice and relaxing.  The bar down stairs is so cozy and romantic

• 

  Delicious smoked & spicy mussels

  Delicious smoked & spicy mussels
• 

  Second timers at Dusek's

  Second timers at Dusek's
• 

  Luigi loving g lamb bolongese

  Luigi loving g lamb bolongese
• See all photos from Gina V. for Dusek's

4/6/2015

On my recent and very important mission (to try as many brunch places as possible), I stumbled across Dusek's. I loved their hanging chandelier and rustic chic decor. Their menu was also different than your typical benedicts and waffles kind of place. I tried the Scotch Egg which is a soft boiled egg, wrapped in lamb sausage, breaded and deep fried. If that didn't blow your mind already, what until you try it! Surprisingly it was alot lighter than it sounds since it was served with an assortment veggies. The poached egg was perfectly cooked and still runny. I also tried the beignets. The exterior was crisp and inside was really soft and pillowy. I couldn't taste the pie spice and wished they were filled with jam or something. Overall, the service and experience was great and I'd definitely come back.

• 

  Beignets

  Beignets
• 

  Scotch egg

  Scotch egg

1/1/2015

Could there be a better place to have New Years brunch?!  This is it!!
Bloody Mary A+
Crab dip B-
Hash A
Shrimp and grit A (should come with more girts)
Benedict A-
Coffee A++++ love it

• 

  Hash!!!! Yuuuuuummmmm

  Hash!!!! Yuuuuuummmmm
• 

  Benedict

  Benedict
• 

  Best New Year's Day ever!!!

  Best New Year's Day ever!!!

7/5/2015

Great place to o get drinks at. Not only are the drunks good but the food is really good too.

3/5/2015

I've come to Dusek's a few times only to be met with long waits and an insanely crowded bar. My friend and I tried our luck last week on a weeknight and it worked out very well! No crowds, no wait and even empty tables abound.

Dusek's is pricey but the food is quite good.
+Olives $6 - Ummmmm, that is a whole lot of olives. We could only get halfway through the bowl. It seriously is a huge thing of millions of olives, all different types, warmed up. This might be a good item if you're just having beers but it was olive overload for us.
+Lamb Bolognese $16 - Really good dish. Lamb was cooked well and all the ingredients (and there were a ton) went well together.
+Pumpkin Risotto $16 - Again a million ingredients. I have a feeling a lot of their dishes have tons of ingredients which I'm sure sometimes hits and sometimes misses. The pumpkin risotto was somewhere inbetween. The risotto itself was delicious and had just the right amount of pumpkin in it. Then there a lot of chunks of pumpkin strewn on top...a few too many chunks. There were also other random ingredients thrown on top some of which went well with the dish, others that did not.
+Good beer menu! The beers are slightly on the pricey side compared to other places but they have a lot of good local brews. I had a Pig Minds Joe Daddy for $7 and a Penrose Spectral for $6.

Dusek's is somewhere I wouldn't hesitate to go back to. Quality food and I like that they aim to hit balls out of the park with their unique combinations though admittedly it does sometimes miss. Do like I did and go on a weekday to avoid the crowds!

• 

  Pumpkin Risotto

  Pumpkin Risotto

7/23/2015

I've seen several tv shows and web articles praising this place.  As someone who is always in search of the best burgers in the city heard that Dusek's juicy Lucy stands worthy to be in that category.  Au Cheval is my gold standard, with Kuma's running a close second, and Bad Apple being my minimum to qualify between impressive and just a good burger.  The Lucy is prepared and cooked well, but is short of my list.  The fries are great but unfortunately was over salted.  I'm the type to believe in second chances, and hoping that they are top of their game the next time I visit.

7/19/2015

Good overall...just know that portions are not massive and for seafood lovers, mussels are a must!

3/31/2015

Really wanted to try the dinner menu here but unfortunately, we had to "settle" for their amazing lunch menu! #NextTime

Juicy Lucy: 6/5 (this is probably one of my top 3 all time favorite hamburgers. Add in the fact that you have ridiculously delicious duck fat fries, it definitely earns a 6 out of 5!)
Crab and artichoke dip: 5/5 (pleasantly surprised but the hefty chunks of crab meat)

• 

  Crab and artichoke dip

  Crab and artichoke dip
• 

  The Juicy Lucy and duck fat fries

  The Juicy Lucy and duck fat fries
• 

3/14/2015

What a great job of taking typical dishes and mixing it up with interesting flavors! We split the cinnamon rolls - an adorable little thing covered in lemon glaze. Next up was the challah french toast, which was airy and light (more like a cake than french toast). The breakfast sandwich with chorizo and salsa was huge and flavorful. My only complaint was the fries were a little too squishy for me and didn't have a lot of flavor, although the boy liked them just fine.

For a place that is All About the Beer, we were pleasantly surprised to find an extensive spirits menu with pretty good prices. That plus the mostly delish food will probably lure us back.

2/21/2015

They've switched things up a little bit since my last visit here, but I loved it none the less.  One improvement was denoting the vegetarian options on the menu as it used to be a minefield as they use animal fat in some dishes unexpectedly.  A concert in Thalia Hall bought me here for dinner and it was a good before the show experience.

The place usually gets a little packed before a concert, still we were able to get seated pretty quickly.  It also happened to be Fat Tuesday so I ended up getting to try their special inteterptation of a jambalaya.  It was one of those refined interpetations that more or less lightly reminded you of the dish it described rather than being an authentic.  Was it delicious? Yes.  Was it Jambalaya? No.

As far as the drinks are concerned, I also remember them being better.  They were more or less kind of ok and didn't really invoke the flavors that you would think would command their $10-12 price tag.

6/22/2015

An unassuming foodie hotspot tucked in the Pilsen neighborhood. They don't accept reservations; however, with a party of 2 your wait is minimal if not nonexistent. Arrive right at opening (at 5pm) and you'll be seated almost immediately, regardless of party size.

Their menu changes seasonally- including drinks and dessert. For something fun, try 'the ordinary'- an homage to original pub fare (a pre-selected entree with a side beer).

Tip: try at least one mixed drink and make room for dessert- both menu items show pride in craftsmanship.

9/14/2014

ALERT ALERT ALERT. Foodie hotspot in an unassuming location.

Tucked away in Pilsen is the dimly lit, sexy Dusek's.

Went with 3 other people and split a few plates -- we each ordered one. In batting order:

1. Country ham sampler (my choice, and the best): this was incredible. I'm a fan of all things from a pig. Served with warm, buttery sourdough toast, we got a board full of jamon Serrano, prosciutto, and speck. Aka the three best pork cuts. There's butter and whole grain mustard on the board for your pleasure. We did have to buy a few extra rounds of sourdough. WORTH IT.

2. Roasted crystal valley farms half chicken: pretty decent. Smoky flavor. Comes with potato salad that everyone else loved (I'm not a fan in general). I claimed the dark meat so I got the better deal.

3. Chanterelle risotto: very good. Flavorful, creamy, and that tomato herb broth... I'm telling ya, you can't go wrong.

4. Wild boar ragu: HEEEYYY GIRL YOU FINE. That is what I actually said in the first bite. Turns out I like boar. After all, pig parts, am I right? The boar was the best part and the ragu the weakest, but you won't hear me complain.

And if you thought I was done, guess what? DESSERT!!

5. Roasted chili Churros: that bittersweet chocolate sorbet does it. It's the strangest taste and so good with the spicy-aftertaste pastry. But then I tasted...

6. Cookie dough: it's like little logs of the dough sans-chocolate, and then ALL THINGS CHOCOLATE in addition. Chocolate cream, chocolate chips, and crumbled cookie. Plus that egg custard. How can I get me some o' dat?

The only (hardly) downside: we showed up at 7pm and didn't get seated until 8:30. Once we had a table, our server thought our service was slow so he gave us free drink tokens. I love him. Will someone give me his number?

To see how we killed 90 minutes waiting for a table, just go downstairs! (Or to the Punch House yelp page)

• 

  Ham sampler aka plate of happiness. Jamon Serrano, prosciutto, and speck.

  Ham sampler aka plate of happiness. Jamon Serrano, prosciutto, and speck.

6/15/2015

Wonderful  evening at Dusek's -Hosted a private party in the private room, with a moving walk (secret passage) the location / Room was amazing. I worked with Emma on the menus and she was so nice, all was arranged via phone and email as I'm from NY. The menu seamed interesting and I was worried it might not be a fit for my guest, well I was wrong every course and every dish was outstanding.  I would highly recommend this place.  Great food, beautiful  room, outstanding service!

• 

  Outstanding presentation as well

  Outstanding presentation as well

7/21/2014

This was only my second time eating at a restaurant in Pilson, but I was impressed by Dusek's. My wife and I went with another couple and we started off with some olives and pickles with bread. The olives were delicious and not too sour while the pickles had a lot of variety in the jar that was provided and were also tasty.

For the main course, I had the half chicken meal that was served with potato salad. The chicken was flavorful and very tender, and the potato salad was the best I have ever had. It was not too creamy and provided the exact amount of sweet and savory.

Overall, I had a great time and will definitely come back.

• 

  Half chicken meal.

  Half chicken meal.

12/12/2014

Dusek's -- you've taken the prize for 1) saltiest food in Chicago 2) worst service ever experienced in my life. Congratulations!

I came here on a Friday night -- yes it's busy, but the waiter didn't stop ONCE to ask us how our food was. We ordered the duck confit, pork belly, and the mussels. The pork belly was seriously the saltiest food I've ever ordered. When I complained, the waiter then delivered us bread and CHARGED us for it. After not stopping by our table ONCE to refill water... (instead the busboys did it), we complained again. He didn't stop by again. A dinner that should have taken an hour and a half ended up taking two and a half hours because of TERRIBLE service. No tip left.

The sauerkraut on the duck confit was also SO salty. I couldn't bear it. It was truly a disgrace. The mussels were also so small, not fresh, and the shell was overly salted.

The only saving grace of the night was when the manager came over after hearing our complaints and gave us a round of drinks and dessert on the house. Thank you. It was much appreciated. The churro was really delicious actually, and it made the night a little better.

Still, the service was such a turn-off, I don't think I'll be coming back. Such a shame because the table next to ours also complained about how off that night was. The waiter told them that they could cut their lobster roll themselves and that they were definitely not getting better service because they asked for something else because the scallops were sold out. RUDE. We bemoaned our mutual dislike for the waiter together. And that was our night... :(

12/29/2014

It disappoints me to have to come down on Dusek's, but the value of Yelp is knowing about the experiences of others -- good or bad.

And in this case, brunch yesterday at Dusek's wasn't that good.

I had been to Dusek's for dinner (a few days after it opened), and the meal was spectacular. (And I'd really expect nothing less since L&E is very consistently good.)

We ordered a cinnamon roll and beignets to start; the cinnamon roll was not served warm and, as a result, was kind of dry. The beignets stood alone; they were decent but some fruit or chocolate dip would have strengthened them immensely.

The oyster hash had no real flavor profile but salt, salt and more salt. It was also quite dark and dirty looking, making it a rather unappetizing dish.

The burger was okay, and the fries were good. (But it's just burger and fries.)

Steak and eggs were decent, but nothing memorable. Same can be said about the eggs benedict.

There's just way too much salt going on and not a lot of flavor. I felt like there wasn't even a real chef in the kitchen, just a bunch of people following charts/recipes and putting food on plates.

I'd have a hard time returning to Dusek's unless I happen to get some rave reviews from friends whose dining advice I trust. Otherwise, I'm not rushing back.

3/7/2015

Really love the atmosphere and food at Dusek's. The staff is always friendly and in point with their recommendations. Bob the bartender is great as is the host and our server Chris. I love the pretzel, oysters, and especially the seafood tower. Great. Awesome beer selection and great food pairings to go along with it.  All around nice place.
Check out the Punch Room in the basement for some good tunes and interesting drink concoctions.

• 

  The awesome Seafood Tower for two

  The awesome Seafood Tower for two

5/17/2015

Terrific space, you're happy the moment you enter.  Unfortunately for us, lots of hipsters with babies the morning we brunched here.  But we weren't sorry we came.  Terrific menu, we loved everything we ordered.  We sampled from their excellent beer list and enjoyed some brunch-y  cocktails as well & were pleased with the whole experience (especially glad we sat at the bar, putting the maximum space between us and the babies).

4/24/2015

I never thought I'd eat amazing seafood in the Midwest. I'm a California girl through and through, and I LOVE my fishies! But Duesks is pretty amazing.

The staff was SO knowledgable, and honestly treated us like guests in their home. Every question was answered, and their suggestions were SPOT ON.

We started with the crab dip, and went with the seafood tier to finish. Lobster, oysters, prawn, clams and mussels. And holey moley, it was ALL amazing. Their seafood is flown in 6 days a week! And it is served at a very fair price. ($30?!? For all that delicious?YASSSS!)

I wish SF had a Duseks. Le sigh.

11/16/2014

Major disappointment.

My group of four and my 9-month-old daughter dropped by for lunch yesterday; this was my second visit to the building, since I had drinks at Punch House over the summer.  We got three different entrees--the french toast, the oyster hash, and "The Ordinary", which was a pork/egg/salad/chorizo/multi-everything open-faced $18 sandwich.  We also tried a couple of the beermosas and the Brunch Punch.

First, the french toast was awful; as you will see from my other reviews, I eat out quite a bit, and this is the worst french toast I have had in Chicago.  Easy.  I don't know what happened because the menu description, "Challah French Toast: maple fromage, bacon streusel, bourbon apple compote", made my mouth water...then the dish comes out and is essentially three small slivers of toast with the toppings mentioned on challah that either wasn't fresh or wasn't prepared properly.  Incredibly dry, even with the spreadable compote or the un-fraiche fromage.

Second, all of the dishes were hilariously small, like comically small...a better way to describe the brunch offerings at Dusek's is to say that they are small plates.  (To our server's credit, he did really push ordering more than four entrees for our group, but for the prices, I just assumed that $11 french toast would be enough for a normal adult male to eat and feel satisfied!!!)  From watching other tables and their orders, it's clear that the lunch items are the way to get a regular-size portion.

As a result, everyone who tasted it agreed that the Oyster Hash was amazing...but so small that my one friend though he would have needed to order three of them to fill up.  Three???  Also, yesterday's "Ordinary" received high marks but for $18, it's a bit spendy for a brunch meal.

We dropped about $110 for this brunch and all of us left hungry...we did have a $10 discount card through A La Card so that took a small part of the sting away but I won't be back to eat here, ever.  Now, drinks at Punch House?  Definitely!

11/24/2014

Nice place, very nice decor. Big rooms and perfect location! Love Pilsen!!!

Went there for brunch. It was good but nothing that we tried blew my mind! But i can clearly see that they are trying to make things different from the standard adding something special in the dishes, that sometimes works but others doesn't.

I would definitely go back and reccomend, especially to people that like Pilsen.

5/24/2015

Just finished having brunch here. Definitely a hidden gem that'll recommend to all my friends. My husband had the Rarebit Benedict and I had the Breakfast Sandwich. I must say the Benedict dish was perfectly crafted, delicious! Mine was awesome too a bit on the spicy side, I would have accompanied it with something dairy-like such as yogurt or similar to cut the hotness (that's why I didn't give it the 5 stars) but it was still delish!
To accompany our low-caloric diet we ordered a side of beignets (a deep-fried pastry) which were AMAZING! Make sure to have them when you come.

Service was great and our waiter did an excellent job at describing each dish.

11/3/2014

I've been here like a bajillion times already and I can't wait to go back again and again and again. Everything is delicious. Seriously, I've had everything on the menu. It's all delicious. BUT....if I was forced to pick a few favorites...well, IF I had to
General Tso's sweetbread: basically exactly as it sounds like. Crispy sweetbread in a tangy GT sauce
Warm Brandade: very light fish taste...basically like the best, savory mashed potatoes you've ever had
Blue Crab Dip: yum. just..yum.
Octopus Confit: This is my favorite dish. Hands down.
Choucroute: a meat lovers dream
Tagine: best cous cous ever. So many delectables veggies.
Bavette of beef: kind of like a beef wellington, but updated. really fantastic
Mussels: The harissa sauce is very delicious but it's a mostly dry sauce..so don't expect to dip your bread in it to sop up all the sauce. There isn't any.

Fantastic beer list, great cocktails. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this place.

4/7/2015

Been here twice in three days. Lower level. Drinks & appetizer. Most importantly the DJ has been ok fiyah!! Great vibes cool energy...credit to the DJ. I'll come here for the music #1 the punch #1.5 and the ambiance #2. The snack food is great as well!
Duseks doing a great job at satisfying your crowd.
Thank you

7/10/2015

Reminds me of one of those places that is trying just a little too hard to fit in to the current hipster trend.  Pretty uninventive menu amongst their peers - stuffed cheese pretzel, $16 crab dip, burrata, mussels, sweetbreads, burger.  All trendy, but nothing too unique to stand out. Plus, execution had some missteps.  Some vegetables were undercooked in our burrata, the pretzel & fries didn't take any creative turns taste-wise (I love a homemade mustard or jazzed up ketchup!), it was all just fine.

I said all this to my husband and he called me a douche, but tis the truth - douchetruth.  I enjoyed my time there but wouldn't hurry back - which, notably, is exactly what 2 of my friends who went with said who had been there before - they only returned bc I really wanted to try it.

The cocktail menu, however, is very inventive, unique and tasty, and service was great.

5/31/2014

I want to give this spot 3.5 stars but I cannot, not quiet a 4. Good spot in Pilsen. If you love beer, definitely make a stop here. The food is also pretty delicious. One of the best mussels I've had in the city! Skip the oysters, very fishy and they were not cleaned very well.

The sweetbread dish was conceptually confusing and itself was dry. The juicy Lucy burger was ok, too much bread for me and not a fan of fake cheese inside the burger. The fried ramp dish surprisingly really good! Also, the olive and the pickle dishes were simple but really good.

I would skip the specialty cocktails, tried four different ones and none of them I enjoyed. Very much beer based cocktails. Get their specialty gin and tonic or just stick to the beer.

• 

  Beer mussels

  Beer mussels

7/18/2015

We enjoyed this place immensely. The menu is unique, but not gimmicky, and everything we had was very good. I especially recommend "The Ordinary", but our waitress was very gracious in taking time to tell is about the menu. Decor and atmosphere were also very nice with one minor exception: it was too dark to read the menu for tables not near windows.

4/22/2014

From the folks that brought you Longman & Eagle comes Dusek's, one of a few sprouting gastropubs in the gentrifying neighborhood called the Pilsen. Though L&E has been on my bucket list since forever, it's hard to find a non-peak time to make the hike down to Logan Square. Similarly, Dusek's comes with the caveat of EXPECT LONG WAIT TIMES if you're going on a Friday or Saturday evening. Not so much for a spontaneous weekday dinner, though.

The space is actually larger than I expected, especially since the last time I called--Friday evening, natch--I was quoted a two-and-a-half hour wait time. It's gastropub decor: dim lighting, wood everywhere. Service, for us, started a little slow but picked up nicely.

The menu is elevated bar food, but think of it more along the lines of The Publican than a simple dressed up burger or fish & chips. Drinks are plentiful. There are roughly 24 draft taps full of your favorite bubbly libation. There's also an ample cocktail and wine list, as well as the full bar. If that doesn't satiate enough, there's an afterparty downstairs at the jointly owned Punch House.

As for the food, it made my mouth whet in anticipation of a trip to L&E. The wife and I split two apps and two mains, first going with the blue crab dip and broccolini. The crab dip was good, not spectacular. I would preferred slightly less salt and slightly more cream, but that's minute picking. I really liked the broccolini, as it was flavored exceptionally well and topped with some of the most delicious toasted pine nuts I've encountered.

Yes, I'm one of those foodie suckers for a perfect fried egg, and that which topped the duck meatloaf looked and tasted divine. The meatloaf tasted like elevated spam, which I swear is a complement. The sides were similarly amazing, with a lightly salted pommes duchesse and some braised green beans that had to be simmering in some sort of meat broth. The wife's risotto looked petite but packed a wallop, and after two hearty appetizers, she found some of it saved for a meal the next day.

Like other gastropubs around Chicago, Dusek's puts a dent in the walltet. Unlike other gastropubs around Chicago, I daresay Dusek's is worth it.

• 

  Roasted Duck Meatloaf: Sunny Duck Egg, Pommes Duchesse, Pickled Cipollini, Ketchup Glaze, Braised Green Beans

  Roasted Duck Meatloaf: Sunny Duck Egg, Pommes Duchesse, Pickled Cipollini, Ketchup Glaze, Braised Green Beans
• 

  Ramp Risotto: porcini ragout, pecorino, fried sunchoke, one hour egg

  Ramp Risotto: porcini ragout, pecorino, fried sunchoke, one hour egg

9/21/2014

The best grilled mussels in Chicago live here. The mussels taste charred, smokey, their shells are encrusted with amazing seasoned salt, and the drawn butter that you dip these babies in is sinfully delicious. For the rest of dinner, try porchetta and veggie tagine. The craft beer and cocktails list is also spot on, and goes great with this decadent dining experience.

The 5 stars review for Duseks is earned by the aforementioned amazing dishes. There were some duds though. I did NOT like the sweetbreads. The delicate taste of the sweetbreads was completely masked by general tsao's sauce, and it was overfried to the point that it tasted grainy and nothing like sweetbreads. The crab dip not bad, but did come out a bit lukewarm. Avoid! Just order a couple orders of the mussels instead!

4/2/2014

Chicago is definitely known for it's hidden gems, and Dusek's is no exception. This place is nestled in the middle of a w 18th street with various surroundings in Pilsen. I mean I can honestly say I am not sure I would just walk up and down the street or ride around all willy-nilly. Yet, when you walk into this restaurant, it's like a whole new world.

Ambiance: This place is lively, homey, casual, hipster like. The tables are nestled closely together, people are intensely focused on their conversations and dinner companions, and the music piping in the background is just loud enough for you to sway your shoulders and not know way.

Service: Service was all around amazing. From first entrance into the restaurant to the bartenders, wait staff, and those in between. I opted to sit at the bar and while it was slow to get started it ramped up and was excellent. Barney was my "main" point of contact but it really was a team effort here. My glasses were kept full, I had olives and mussels, and the wait staff kept my bowls empty, and everyone wanted to make sure you were enjoying yourself. Most importantly, people were familiar with the menu, I mean REALLY familiar which is nice. The icing on the cake is when someone asks do you have any dietary restrictions before they start making recommendations!

Food: Presentation, Portions, Pricing, and Taste were awesome! My food selections:
Wood Roasted Olives: I have never had these before and they were addicting. Variety of olives, warm to the center, and just tasty! I had to have them take them away before I wouldn't eat my entree.
Broccolini: Toasted pine nuts, pickled radish, golden raisin. They nailed it on all cylinders. The flavors melted in your mouth. The texture of the broccolini was perfect. They came out before my mussels and I just couldn't wait after I had a taste.
Mussels: The server talked about how the mussels and I took a chance. They were heavenly. I can't remember how they were prepared, but I ate the entire serving (and it was huge) without hesitation. Job well done.

I had the a grapefruit craft cocktail and a glass of wine (blend), which were interesting. I think I'll continue to overindulge in the food. I'll definitely be back for dessert they sounded amazing!!

Great experience. Can't wait to get back.

• 

  Craft cocktails - grapefruit muddled something lol

  Craft cocktails - grapefruit muddled something lol
• 

  Wood roasted olives

  Wood roasted olives
• 

  Mussels (photobomb edition)

  Mussels (photobomb edition)
• See all photos from Mironda R. for Dusek's

4/13/2015

First, I just have to say that the Three Ham Eggs Benedict on their house sourdough is really, hands-down my favorite breakfast in Chicago.  It's unfairly delicious and one of the most satisfying hangover meals I think I've ever had.

Ok, now that's out of the way.  I remember being very excited to hear that the Longman and Eagle folks were taking over the mediocre pizzeria that used to occupy that space.  Also, that they had an interest in renovating Thalia Hall and turning into a music venue has also endeared me to them.  For those who don't know Thalia Hall dates back to the Chicago World Fair, a super old building with a lot of history and they've done a beautiful job renovating it.  Anyway...

I do have to say that I think I prefer the breakfast there to the dinner.  I still have yet to have a dinner there that has impressed me for the price.  Some of the menu items seemed to have grand ambitions but fell short for me in terms of flavor and quantity for the price.  I've heard the Juicy Lucy talked about many times, but when I ordered it, it was a pretty forgettable burger with a lump of congealed cheese in the center.  Never again.  The duck fat fries were very tasty, but I haven't had a dinner item there that I've raved about in my several visits.

That being said, come check this place out. Their eggs benedict is unforgettable, the beer list is bold, the scotch egg is delicious, the atmosphere is charming, the staff is great, and the neighborhood is phenomenal.  Give it a try.

8/31/2014

I definitely will NOT come back.  We were seated around 10:50AM and the restaurant inside was not that busy.  Food did not arrive until after 11:35.  

Waited over half an hour for two dishes.  One was lukewarm, the other had hash that was outright cold.  I sent one dish back and told them I didn't want it replaced, I just wanted the check.  They tried to ask me what they could do so "short of taking the dish returned off the bill."  Was the manager/head waiter joking?

What a joke to have front of house staff so incompetent at this tier of restaurant.

Pretty clear to me they either forgot to put in the order or they forget to deliver the food as opposed to the kitchen being backed up.  They never explained anything and just kept providing empty apologies.

10/14/2014

Last minute decision to come eat here with some friends and it was one of the best decisions. The ambiance was great! The servers are friendly.

We decided to try a few things on the menu between the 4 of us.

Mussels-Best Grilled Mussels in Chicago, great portion and the smoky flavor was unreal.

Charred baby octopus- This was really good. The flavors meshed together

General Tso's Sweetbreads- My friends said these were okay nothing to rave about.

Country Ham Sampler:
Speck - Italy & Serrano - Spain these hams were really good
The Virginia I could do without, it was meh.

Fries- Beef fat fries, they are absolutely amazing but  I like most fries.

9/12/2014

Items selected:
Gemuse Gimlet - Death's Door Gin, Fresh Line Sour, Ginger, Celery, Hefeweisen
General Tso's Sweetbreads - wood roasted shishito peppers, pickled daikon, pea tendril
Warm Brandade - pickled red melrose, charred cippollini relish, beef fat chips
Roasted Blue Crab Dip - artichoke relish, housemade pain d'epi
Stuffed Pretzel - beer cheese
Choucroute - duck confit, house garlic sausage, fresh bacon, confit red potatoes, sauerkraut, caraway pickled apple
Iced Coffee
Cookie Dough - fernet chocolate chips, egg custard ice cream, mint, chocolate cremeux, cookie powder
Fruit Loop Donut - lemongrass buttermilk sorbet, guava puree, lychee, freeze dried strawberry and grapefruit powder, coconut
Chocolate sourdough pudding - strawberry water gelee, strawberry air, gingersnap, chocolate syrup, fried strawberry, orange blossom gelato
Moscato d'Asti D.O.C.G

Originally slotted as a late night Saturday stop for four only to be replaced last minute by a trip to The Promontory it was perhaps fate that led me and a friend to our seat at Dusek's on Sunday night, the "Sunday Noodles" menu at Takashi not particularly interesting when we'd originally planned to partake in some of the chef's more esoteric options that are apparently only offered on other nights of the week.    Located in Pilsen and accessed best by Uber it was just after 6:45 that my buddy and I crossed the threshold of the reinvented space and quickly seated at a charming two-top near the windows farthest from the noise it would not be long before our server stopped by, the beercentric menu of mostly sharable plates described at great lengths with a resultant 8 plate order plus a trio of beverages coursed out just as requested, the timing and presentation of all but one item on par with that of Michelin Starred restaurants despite the otherwise relaxed atmosphere.  Truly a restaurant where adventurous palates are rewarded for their efforts it was with a sizeable plate strewn with three spicy sweetbreads that our meal began and with the offal impeccably tender beneath crispy coating we subsequently rolled into a duo of spreads, the potato and salt cod composition a reference standard with housemade crisps while the cheesy crab found levity in tender artichokes that worked nicely with whole wheat bread.   Admittedly a bit underwhelmed by a pretzel that I felt could use a bit more salt our savories soon culminated with a large plate of mixed meats and utilizing the combination of 'kraut and pickled apple to cleanse the palate between bites one would be hard pressed to select a 'best' amongst the three - a similar circumstance arising amongst the trio of desserts where only the fact that we were not informed that the lychee was still 'shell-on' prevented everything from being perfect, a single bitter bite rectified by striking the "froot loop donut" from our bill and sweetening the deal with free glasses of Moscato to pair with two puddings that no one should miss, the 'cookie dough' particularly enthralling with textures galore and the fernet chips melding beautifully with the mint and egg custard into a sort of coffee-tinged note than lingered on the palate for nearly the whole ride home.

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  Moscato d'Asti D.O.C.G

  Moscato d'Asti D.O.C.G
• See all photos from Michael U. for Dusek's

10/4/2014

I definitely need to explore their menu a bit more but from what I had, it's pretty good.

The waitress was very attentive, the drinks are delicious and the one dish we did try was good. Nothing out of this world, but good.
I think the drinks probably take center stage here, at least for me they do.

I've spent most of my time in this building downstairs at Punch House and now that Thalia Hall is open for concerts, I hope to be here more often.

A warning to the wise, parking is very difficult in this area, so if you're meeting someone here, make sure you allow enough time to find parking.

7/25/2015

The space is wonderful and the drinks are cool - both beers and spirits. The food is a little hit or miss. Some things I've loved and others seem a little too meaty and bland. The desserts are really good, although very sweet. Not such a fan of their brunch offerings either - yeah this kind of makes it sound like i don't like their food much, but they do have some good offerings. However, i'd rather go here for a drink than dinner.

7/6/2015

late lunch on Sunday and was so impressed.  Food is fantastic.  Liked the ambiance and server was pleasant as well.  
good job.

2/7/2015

Dear Dusek's, I'm really sorry I don't have sleeves of ink or a beard like the rest of you unique snow flakes. Making me wait 30 minutes for a neat drink and being snubbed by your bartenders when the place is not busy is probably not something the owners had in mind. There were 3 of them too. Mixology my arse! These punks were pumping every drink out of taps, everything is premixed, all these glorious bartenders did was shave a lemon, something they picked up in prison while pealing potatoes. What a joke! To top off the night of hipster bottom scraping, the juicy Lucy made my friend literally vomit outside while we waited 20 minutes for our cab.  This is about the worst place I have ever been to. Terrible service, food that literally made us ill and you can't catch a cab back to civilization. Might as well go to Red Robin in Naperville or some other suburb. Never again!

P.S. Putting that much hot pepper on muscles totally overpowers the delicate flavor of them, might as well put sharp cheddar on lobster. Foodie nightmare